May 21, 2006

Plant exchange

We gathered at noon, about a dozen of us coming from all directions, parking our cars in the gravel driveway and ducking raindrops as we lugged plants and food toward the big old house that Makes Bread lives in. Whenever my women friends get together, we have plenty of food: big trays of fruits and veggies, spinach casserole, big sandwiches of all kinds, homemade breads, guacamole and salsa and chips, humus and pita bread, all kinds of desserts, and big mugs of hot tea. We hung out in the kitchen, all talking and eating.

One friend, who went back to school years after she started college, just finished her degree. In fact, she skipped the commencement exercises to come to this gathering today. We all hummed Pomp & Circumstance for her, and applauded wildly. She kept saying, "I’m done with school! At last!"

When it stopped raining, we all went out to the driveway to look at the plants we’d dug up from our gardens. Amidst a confusion of chatter, we handed them out, everyone taking the plants they thought they could use. "Who wants a coneflower? It needs full sun. Anyone need oregano? This plant here – what is it called?"

I came home with a plateful of cookies and a bunch of plants for my gardens. If the temperature ever gets above 50 degrees, I am going to do some gardening.

9 comments:

Peter said...

It's time, all right. Might get some potatoes in the ground, soon. The tamaracks are a lovely lime green right now.

Anonymous said...

Nice life, eh, jo(e)?
It sounds like such fun.

zelda1 said...

I have a flower beds everywhere in my yards in my house in the valley. There are so many people who stop by and say, next year can I have a piece of this or that. I always say why wait. It's good to share plants, good Karma. My mom always said if you steal a plant, it will die. She also said you never give your bras away, let the person who wants them steal them. Now, I, for one, don't give away my bras, and haven't had one stolen in, well never, but I think I know what she meant. So, I never give away bras, and I never steal plants. Where the heck was this going. Don't know, I'm going for more coffee.

delagar said...

I must tell you, I am insanely jealous that it's still 50 degrees there. It's already hitting the 90s by 10.00 a.m. every day here, so hot by noon I can't stand leaving the house.

Boy do I hate the South.

Coffee-Drinking Woman said...

It's wonderful to gather with friends, isn't it?

It's not much warmer here - but at least it's been sunny lately.

HeyJules said...

What a great way to spend a day! I'm so going to steal this!

halloweenlover said...

Sounds like a great day. Congrats to your friend on her graduation!

I'm with you on the weather. I have a few poor little plants that haven't made it into the ground yet because of the cold.

OTRgirl said...

Most of my Baltimore friends are still in apartments. And, being Baltimore, most of our friends who own homes are in row homes with no yard. I would love to do a plant exchange. I'm definitely stealing this idea (eventually).

And congrats on Boy in Black (and your daughter) being valedictorian. He seems like an amazing kid.

The Humanity Critic said...

Great blog. Just passing through..